Golf shoe having midsole structure for spike and spikeless outsoles

ABSTRACT

The present invention generally relates to golf shoes having a structured midsole. The shoe includes an upper, midsole, and outsole. The structured midsole can accommodate both spiked outsoles and spikeless outsoles. The bottom surface of the midsole comprises recessed pockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface of the outsole. When the projecting segments of the outsole are disposed in the recessed pockets of the midsole, the midsole is secured to the outsole. The midsole can be used to form midsole/outsole assemblies, wherein the outsole is spike or spikeless and this provides costs savings.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No.63/079,792, filed Sep. 17, 2020, the entire disclosure of which isincorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to shoes and more particularlyto golf shoes having improved midsoles structures. The structuredmidsole can accommodate both spiked outsoles and spikeless outsoles.

Brief Review of the Related Art

Both professional and amateur golfers use specially designed golf shoestoday. Typically, the golf shoe includes an upper portion and outsoleportion along with a mid-sole connecting the upper to the outsole. Theupper has a traditional shape for inserting a user's foot and thuscovers and protects the foot in the shoe. The upper is designed toprovide a comfortable fit around the contour of the foot. The mid-soleis relatively lightweight and provides cushioning to the shoe. Theoutsole is designed to provide stability and traction for the golfer.The bottom surface of the outsole may include spikes or cleats designedto engage the ground surface through contact with and penetration of theground. These elements help provide the golfer with better footstability and traction as he/she walks and plays the course.

Often, the terms, “spikes” and “cleats” are used interchangeably in thegolf industry. Some golfers prefer the term, “spikes,” since cleats aremore commonly associated with other sports such as baseball, football,and soccer. Other golfers like to use the term, “cleats” since spikesare more commonly associated with non-turf sports such as track orbicycling. In the following description, the term, “spikes” will be usedfor convenience purposes. Golf shoe spikes can be made of a metal orplastic material. However, one problem with metal spikes is they arenormally elongated pieces with a sharp point extending downwardly thatcan break through the surface of the putting green thereby leaving holesand causing other damage. These metal spikes also can cause damage toother ground surfaces at a golf course, for example, the carpeting andflooring in a clubhouse. Today, most golf courses require that golfersuse non-metal spikes.

In recent years, “spikeless” or “cleatless” shoes have become morepopular. These shoe outsoles contain rubber or plastic traction membersbut no spikes or cleats. These traction members protrude from the bottomsurface of the outsole to contact the ground. The shoes are designed foron the golf course and off the course. That is, the shoes provide goodstability and traction for the golfer playing the course including onthe tees, fairways, and greens. Furthermore, the shoes are lightweight,and comfortable and can be used off the golf course. The shoes can beworn comfortably in the clubhouse, office, home, and other off-courseplaces.

In conventional shoe manufacturing operations, the midsole may beattached to the upper by applying an adhesive and the outsole may bemolded directly to the bottom surface of the midsole or also fixed tothe midsole by an adhesive. One midsole mold is used to form the midsolefor spiked outsoles and a different midsole mold is used to form themidsole for spikeless outsoles. Midsoles used for spiked outsolesnormally have a greater thickness than midsoles used for spikelessoutsoles. Changing the midsole molds back and forth so that differentmidsoles can be made for spiked outsoles versus spikeless outsoles canbe a time-consuming and cumbersome process.

Shoe manufacturers are constantly looking at different manufacturingmethods that are more cost effective and efficient. There is a need foran improved midsole/outsole manufacturing system. The shoe manufacturershould have a system that provides greater flexibility so both spikedand spikeless shoes can be made in a fast and cost-effective manner. Theshoe manufacturer should be able to quickly transition from producingshoes with spiked outsoles to shoes with spikeless outsoles and viceversa. There is also a need for an improved midsole/outsole assembly,wherein the fastened outsole can be either a spiked or spikelessoutsole. The present invention provides such a manufacturing system andshoes having improved midsole/outsole assemblies as well as otheradvantageous features and benefits.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a golf shoe comprising a structuredmidsole. The shoe comprises: i) an upper; ii) a midsole having an uppersurface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessedpockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments locatedon the upper surface of the outsole; and iii) an outsole having an uppersurface and a bottom surface. The upper surface of the outsole comprisesprojecting segments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on thebottom surface of the midsole, wherein the projecting segments aredisposed in the recessed pockets so that the midsole is secured to theoutsole. The upper, midsole, and outsole each have forefoot, mid-foot,and rear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides.

In one preferred embodiment, the projecting segments are disc-shaped andhave a thickness in the range of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm. Preferably,the projecting segments have a diameter in the range of about 18.0 toabout 23.0 mm. Preferably, there are at least three projecting segmentson the upper surface of the outsole and at least three recessed pocketson the bottom surface of the midsole. In one example, there are sixprojecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and six recessedpockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. More particularly, therecan be four projecting segments in the forefoot region and twoprojecting segments in the rear-foot region of the outsole and fourrecessed pockets in the forefoot region and two recessed pockets in therear-foot region of the midsole. In another example, there are nineprojecting segments on the upper surface of the outsole and ninerecessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole. Moreparticularly, there can be five projecting segments in the forefootregion and four projecting segments in the rear-foot region of theoutsole and five recessed pockets in the forefoot region and fourrecessed pockets in the rear-foot region of the midsole.

In one embodiment, the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at leasttwo spike receptacles for receiving two spikes. For example, the bottomsurface of the outsole can comprise at least six spike receptacles forreceiving six spikes. In another example, the bottom surface of theoutsole comprises at least nine spike receptacles for receiving ninespikes.

In another embodiment, the bottom surface of the outsole comprises aplurality of protruding traction members. The bottom surface of theoutsole can comprise tile pieces as described further below. These tilepieces can contain traction members, wherein a plurality of the tilepieces comprise a first protruding traction member, an opposing secondprotruding traction member, and a non-protruding segment disposedbetween the first and second traction members, and wherein the tilepiece, first and second protruding traction members, and non-protrudingsegment comprise the same material and form a unitary piece. Forexample, the tile piece, first and second traction members andnon-protruding segment comprise a rubber or thermoplastic polyurethanematerial.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The novel features that are characteristic of the present invention areset forth in the appended claims. However, the preferred embodiments ofthe invention, together with further objects and attendant advantages,are best understood by reference to the following detailed descriptionin connection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of a golf shoe of thepresent invention showing the upper in detail;

FIG. 1A is a bottom plan view of the golf shoe shown in FIG. 1 showingthe outsole in detail;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing the manufacturing ofmidsole/outsole assemblies with a spiked outsole and a spikeless outsolein accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 3A is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a golf shoe of thepresent invention showing the spiked outsole in detail;

FIG. 3B is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a golf shoe of thepresent invention showing the spikeless outsole in detail;

FIG. 4 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a midsole of thepresent invention showing the six recessed pockets in detail;

FIG. 5 is a top plan view of one embodiment of an outsole of the presentinvention showing the six projecting segments in detail;

FIG. 6 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a midsole of thepresent invention showing the nine recessed pockets in detail;

FIG. 7 is a top plan view of one embodiment of an outsole of the presentinvention showing the nine projecting segments in detail;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of one embodiment of a midsole/outsoleassembly of the present invention, wherein the outsole is a spikedoutsole;

FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a midsole of thepresent invention showing the six recessed pockets in detail;

FIG. 10 is a lateral side elevational view of one embodiment of amidsole of the present invention;

FIG. 11 is a medial side elevational view of one embodiment of a midsoleof the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a golf shoe of thepresent invention showing the spiked outsole with spike receptacles andtraction members in detail;

FIG. 13 is a bottom plan view of one embodiment of a golf shoe of thepresent invention showing the spikeless outsole with traction members indetail;

FIG. 14 is a lateral side elevational view of one embodiment of a golfshoe of the present invention showing the upper in detail;

FIG. 14A is a top plan view of the golf shoe shown in FIG. 14 showingthe upper in detail;

FIG. 15 is a lateral side elevational view of one embodiment of a golfshoe of the present invention showing the upper in detail; and

FIG. 15A is a top plan view of the golf shoe shown in FIG. 15 showingthe upper in detail.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the Figures, where like reference numerals are used todesignate like elements, and particularly FIG. 1, one embodiment of thegolf shoe (10) of this invention is shown. The shoe (10) includes anupper portion (12) and outsole portion (16) along with a midsole (14)connecting the upper (12) to the outsole (16). The views shown in theFigures are of a right shoe and it is understood the components for aleft shoe will be mirror images of the right shoe. It also should beunderstood that the shoe may be made in various sizes and thus the sizeof the shoe components may be adjusted depending upon the shoe size.

The upper (12) has a traditional shape and is made from a standard uppermaterial such as, for example, natural leather, synthetic leather,knits, non-woven materials, natural fabrics, and synthetic fabrics. Forexample, breathable mesh and synthetic textile fabrics made from nylons,polyesters, polyolefins, polyurethanes, rubbers, and combinationsthereof can be used. The material used to construct the upper isselected based on desired properties such as breathability, durability,flexibility, and comfort. In one preferred example, the upper (12) ismade of an engineered mesh material. The upper material is stitched orbonded together to form an upper structure. The upper (12) generallyincludes an instep region (18) with an opening (20) for inserting afoot. The upper includes a vamp (19) for covering the forepart of thefoot. The instep region includes a tongue member (22). Normally, laces(24) are used for tightening the shoe around the contour of the foot.However, other tightening systems can be used including metal cable(lace)-tightening assemblies that include a dial, spool, and housing andlocking mechanism for locking the cable in place. For example, such lacetightening assemblies are available from Boa Technology, Inc., Denver,Colo. (USA). It should be understood that the above-described upper (12)shown in FIG. 1 represents only one example of an upper design that canbe used in the shoe construction of this invention and other upperdesigns can be used without departing from the spirit and scope of thisinvention. For example, referring to FIGS. 14, 14A, 15, and 5A, otherexamples of suitable shoe uppers (12) that can be made in accordancewith this invention are shown.

The midsole (14) is preferably formed from a polymer foam material, suchas polyurethane (PU), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), rubber, or silicone.The midsole (14) may be constructed by any suitable method such as, forexample, compression molding, injection molding, open pouring, casting,and the like. In one example, the midsole (14) may be formed via aninjection-molding process that includes injecting a foaming material,such as EVA, into a mold and allowing the foamed material to cure andharden onto the upper (12). The foaming material may seep through fibersof the upper (12). The midsole (14) may be attached to the upper (12) byapplying an adhesive. Alternatively, the midsole (14) may be directlyattached to the upper (16) during the injection step by positioning theupper (12) over the mold during injection of the foaming material. Alast may be inserted into the upper (12) to provide a structural frameto the upper during the injection process. The last may be a mechanicalform with a structure similar to a foot and constructed from a rigidmaterial such as wood, metal, or high-density plastic, and the like. Themidsole (14) may be attached to the outsole (16) using the distinctivemidsole/outsole assembly system of the present invention as described infurther detail below.

The outsole (16) is designed to provide stability and traction for theshoe. The bottom surface (23) of the outsole (16) includes multipletraction members (25) to help provide traction between the shoe and golfcourse (on course) or other surfaces such as, for example, clubhouse,street, office, home, and the like. The bottom surface of the outsole(16) and traction members (25) can be made of any suitable material suchas rubber or plastics and combinations thereof. Thermoplastics such asnylons, polyesters, polyolefins, and polyurethanes can be used. Suitablerubber materials that can be used include, but are not limited to,polybutadiene, polyisoprene, ethylene-propylene rubber (“EPR”),ethylene-propylene-diene (“EPDM”) rubber, and styrene-butadiene rubber,and the like, and blends of two or more thereof. In FIG. 1A, the outsole(16) includes both traction members (25) and spikes (cleats) (21). Thespikes (21) are normally made of a plastic material. The bottom surfaceof the outsole (16) contains molded receptacles for securing the spikes(21) to the shoe as described further below. The structure andfunctionality of the outsole (16) of the present invention is describedin further detail below.

In general, the anatomy of the foot can be divided into three bonyregions. The rear-foot region generally includes the ankle (talus) andheel (calcaneus) bones. The mid-foot region includes the cuboid,cuneiform, and navicular bones that form the longitudinal arch of thefoot. The forefoot region includes the metatarsals and the toes.Referring back to FIG. 1, the outsole (16) has a top surface (not shown)and bottom surface (23). The midsole (14) is joined to the top surfaceof the outsole (16) as discussed in further detail below. The upper (12)can be joined to the midsole (14) as described above.

Turning to FIG. 1A, the outsole (16) generally includes a forefootregion (26) for supporting the forefoot area; a mid-foot region (28) forsupporting the mid-foot including the arch area; and rear-foot region(30) for supporting the rear-foot including heel area. In general, theforefoot region (26) includes portions of the outsole corresponding withthe toes and the joints connecting the metatarsals with the phalanges.The mid-foot region (28) generally includes portions of the outsolecorresponding with the arch area of the foot. The rear-foot region (30)generally includes portions of the outsole corresponding with rearportions of the foot, including the calcaneus bone.

The outsole also includes a lateral side (31) and a medial side (32).Lateral side (31) and medial side (32) extend through each of the footregions (26, 28, and 30) and correspond with opposite sides of theoutsole. The lateral side or edge (31) of the outsole is the side thatcorresponds with the outer area of the foot of the wearer. The lateraledge (31) is the side of the foot of the wearer that is generallyfarthest from the other foot of the wearer (that is, it is the sidecloser to the fifth toe [little toe].) The medial side or edge (32) ofthe outsole is the side that corresponds with the inside area of thefoot of the wearer. The medial edge (32) is the side of the foot of thewearer that is generally closest to the other foot of the wearer (thatis, the side closer to the hallux [big toe].)

More particularly, the lateral (31) and medial sides (32) extend aroundthe periphery or perimeter of the outsole (16) from the anterior end(27) to the posterior end (29) of the outsole. The anterior end (27) isthe portion of the outsole corresponding to the toe area, and theposterior end (29) is the portion corresponding to the heel area. Theregions, sides, and areas of the outsole as described above are notintended to demarcate precise areas of the outsole. Rather, theseregions, sides, and areas are intended to represent general areas of theoutsole. The upper (12) and midsole (14) also have such regions, sides,and areas. Each region, side, and area also may include anterior andposterior sections.

Referring to FIGS. 2-7, in one preferred embodiment, the top surface(33) of the outsole contains nubs or projecting segments (40) forinterlocking with recessed areas or pockets (44) on the bottom surface(35) of the midsole (14). The complementary projecting segments (40) andpockets (44) are joined together to form a locked midsole/outsoleassembly. An adhesive also is applied to the bottom surface (35) of themidsole (14) and/or top surface (33) of the outsole (60, 62) to bond andenhance the attachment of the midsole to the outsole. In FIG. 2, thepockets (44) are shown as cut-out sections in the midsole (14) withvertical sidewall surfaces (50) and a horizontal upper wall surface(52). The projecting segments (40) have corresponding vertical sidewallsurfaces (54) and a horizontal upper wall surface (56) that mate withthe sidewall surfaces (50) and upper wall surface (52) of the pockets(44) when the outsole and midsole are joined together.

In FIG. 2, two examples of outsole structures (60, 62) that can be usedin accordance with this invention are shown. In one example, the outsole(60) contains spikes (cleats) (66) and can be referred to as a spikedoutsole; while in an alternative example, the outsole (62) contains nospikes and can be referred to as a spikeless outsole. The spikelessoutsole (62) preferably contains traction members generally indicated at(70).

More particularly, in one embodiment, “spiked” or “cleated” outsoles(60) are made using the midsole (14) of this invention. Most golfcourses require that golfers use non-metal spikes on their shoes. Thebottom surface (65) of the outsole (60) contains molded receptacles(sockets) (68) for securing the spikes (66) to the shoe. Plastic spikes(66) are commonly used and they typically have a rounded base (71) witha central stud on one face. On the other face of the rounded base (71),there are radial arms (72) with traction projections (74). Screw threadsare spaced about the stud on the spike (66) for inserting into thethreaded receptacle (68). These plastic spikes (66), which can be easilyfastened and later removed from the locking receptacle (68), tend tocause less damage to the greens and clubhouse flooring surfaces thanmetal spikes.

The spikes (66) are preferably detachably fastened to receptacles (68)in the outsole (60). The spike (66) may be inserted and removed easilyfrom the receptacle (68). Normally, the spike (66) may be secured in thereceptacle (68) by inserting it and then slightly twisting it in aclockwise direction. To remove the spike (66) from the receptacle (68),it may be slightly twisted in a counter-clockwise direction.

In FIG. 2, one example of a section of a spiked outsole (60) is shown.The full shoe spiked outsole (60) having a total of six cleats (66) isshown in more detail in FIG. 3A. As discussed above, the midsole (14)and spiked outsole structure (60) are joined and locked with each otherto form a durable midsole/spiked outsole assembly. An adhesive also isapplied to the bottom surface (35) of the midsole (14) and/or topsurface (33) of the outsole (62) so that the midsole can be tightlyfastened to the outsole. The projecting nubs (40) of the spiked outsole(60) are snapped into the recessed pockets (44) of the midsole. The shoe(10) further contains an upper (not shown in these views).

In an alternative outsole embodiment, “spikeless” or “cleatless”outsoles (62) are made using the midsole (14) mold of this invention.These shoe outsoles (62) have a bottom surface (41) containing rubber orplastic traction members (70) but no spikes or cleats (66). The tractionmembers (70) protrude from the bottom surface (41) of the outsole tocontact the ground. Referring back to FIG. 2, one example of a sectionof a spikeless outsole (62) is shown. The full shoe spikeless outsole(62) with multiple traction members (70) is shown in more detail in FIG.3B. As discussed above, in this example, the midsole (14) and spikelessoutsole structures (62) are joined and locked with each other to form amidsole/spikeless outsole assembly. The shoe further contains an upper(not shown in this view). These spikeless shoes with traction members(70) are designed for on the golf course and off the course. That is,these shoes provide good stability and traction for the golfer playingthe course including on the tees, fairways, and greens. Furthermore, theshoes are lightweight, and comfortable and can be used off the golfcourse. The shoes can be worn comfortably in the clubhouse, office, homeor other off-course places.

Turning to FIGS. 4 to 7, different embodiments of the structuredmidsoles (14) and outsoles (60, 62) are shown. In FIG. 4, the bottomsurface of the midsole (14) contains six pockets (44) adapted forreceiving the projecting segments (40) on the top surface of the spikedor spikeless outsole structures (60, 62). In turn, as shown in FIG. 5,the outsole (60, 62) contains six projecting segments (40) for insertinginto the six pockets (44) of the midsole. In this way, the complementarymidsole (14) and outsole structures (60, 62) are locked and securedtogether. The upper surface (33) of the outsole has a structure thatfits with the bottom surface (35) of the midsole. That is, the uppersurface (33) of the outsole includes projecting segments (40) thatextend upwardly and interlock with recessed pockets (44) in the bottomsurface (35) of the midsole. Thus, when the midsole is joined to theoutsole, the projecting segments (40) are disposed within the pockets(44). The projecting segments (40) mate with the pockets (44) to securethe midsole (14) to either the spiked or spikeless outsole structure(60, 62). In FIGS. 6 and 7, a midsole structure (14) containing ninepockets (44) and a complementary outsole (60, 62) containing nineprojecting segments (40) for snapping into the pockets (44) is shown.

In one preferred embodiment, the midsole (14) is made of an ethylenevinyl acetate (EVA) material and the outsole (16) is made of a rubbermaterial. As shown in FIG. 8, the rubber projecting segment (40)overlies the spike receptacle (68). The rubber projecting segment (40)preferably has a disc-like shape with a thickness (generally indicatedat “A”) in the range of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm. More preferably, theprojecting segment (40) has a thickness in the range of about 2.0 toabout 2.5 mm. The flat surface of the segment (40) (generally indicatedat “B”) preferably has a diameter in the range of about 18.0 to about23.0 mm. More preferably, the projecting segment (40) has a diameter inthe range of about 21.0 to about 22.0 mm. The full width of the EVAmidsole (generally indicated at “C”) is preferably in the range of about35 to about 45 mm.

The projecting segments (40) disposed on the outsole can have differentshapes and sizes so long as they are able to interlock with the recessedpockets (44) on the midsole. For example, the projecting segments (40)can have rectangular, triangular, square, spherical, star, diamond,pyramid, arrow, rod, or conical-shapes, and the like. The shape anddimensions of the projecting segments (40) correspond to the shapedimensions of the recessed pockets (44) so that they can interlock witheach other. In this way, the outsole structure (60, 62) is joined andlocked to the midsole structure (14).

It also should be understood that any number of projecting segments (40)can be disposed on the top surface of the outsole and any number ofrecessed pockets (44) can be disposed on the bottom surface of themidsole. In FIGS. 4 and 5, the midsole (14) contains six pockets (44)adapted for receiving the six projecting segments (40) of the spiked orspikeless outsole structures (60, 62). In FIGS. 6 and 7, the midsole(14) contains nine pockets (44) adapted for receiving the nineprojecting segments (40) of the outsoles (60, 62). However, themidsole/outsole assemblies shown FIGS. 4-5 and 6-7 are only someembodiments, and it is recognized that the present invention is notrestricted to these examples.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3A-3B and discussed above, one advantage of thestructured midsole (14) of the present invention is that it canaccommodate both: i) outsoles containing spikes (“spiked” outsoles), andii) outsoles that do not contain spikes (“spikeless” outsoles); andthese outsoles are described in further detail below. Thus, the samemidsole (14) mold can be used to make either a spiked outsole (60) or aspikeless outsole (62). The spiked and spikeless outsoles (60, 62) areinterchangeable with the same midsole. Since the shoe manufacturer onlyneeds to open one midsole mold for making shoes with spiked or spikelessoutsoles per this invention, there are significant costs savings. Thismanufacturing method, where only one midsole mold is used for fasteningthe midsole to different outsoles is more efficient and economicallyadvantageous over methods that use multiple midsole molds. The shoemanufacturer has greater flexibility with the midsole molds of thisinvention—the molds can be used to fabricate either spiked or spikelessoutsoles in a quick and efficient manner.

The present invention also encompasses methods for manufacturing a shoe,wherein a midsole mold is provided for making a midsole having an uppersurface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface of the midsolecomprising recessed pockets. The method also involves providing a shoeupper and a shoe outsole, wherein the outsole has an upper surface and abottom surface. The upper surface of the outsole comprises projectingsegments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottomsurface of the midsole so that the midsole is secured to the outsole.The shoe upper also has a top surface and bottom surface, wherein thebottom surface of the upper is secured to the midsole by adhesives orother suitable fastening means. The upper, midsole, and outsole eachhave forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-foot regions and lateral and medialsides.

Spiked Outsoles

The spiked outsole (60) can contain any number of spike receptacles (68)and spikes (cleats) (66), and the receptacles and spikes can be arrangedin a wide variety of patterns as discussed further below.

For example, referring back to FIG. 3A, the outsole (60) contains atotal of six (6) spikes (66); there are four spikes (66) in the forefootregion and two spikes (66) in the rear-foot foot region. In otherembodiments, the outsole (60) contains a total of nine (9) spikes (66);there are five spikes (66) in the forefoot region and four spikes (66)in the rear-foot foot region. Preferably, the spiked outsole (62)contains a total number of spikes in the range of five (5) to nine (9)spikes. These spikes (66) can be arranged in various patterns on theforefoot, mid-foot, and/or rearfoot regions. Also, the projectingsegments (40) overlying the spike receptacles (68) can be positioned ina variety of locations on the top surface (33) of the spiked outsole(60). That is, these projecting segments (40) can be arranged in variouspatterns on the forefoot, mid-foot, and/or rearfoot regions so that theycan interlock with the complementary pockets located in the midsole.

As shown in FIGS. 9 to 12, the outsole (60) contains a total of six (6)spikes; there are four spikes in the forefoot region and two spikes inthe rear-foot region. In FIG. 9, the bottom view of the midsole (14)with six complementary pockets (44) for six protruding segments (40) ofthe outsole is shown. In FIGS. 10 and 11, lateral (31) and medial (32)views of the midsole structure (14) are shown. Turning to FIG. 12, theoutsole with six spike receptacles (68) for receiving the six spikes(66) is shown. As illustrated in FIG. 12, the outsole contains bothspike receptacles (68) for spikes (66) as well as traction members (70).This type of outsole containing both spikes (66) and traction members(70) is considered a spiked outsole.

The spiked outsole (60) is configured to contact the ground during golfplay. The spikes (66) can be of various shapes and sizes. The spikes(66) are designed to engage the ground surface and provide an increasedarea of contact with the ground. This helps provide the golfer withbetter foot traction on the turf as he/she walks the course and playsthe round. It should be understood that the above-described spikedoutsole (60) shown in FIG. 12 represents only one example of a spikedoutsole that can be used in the shoe constructions of this invention andother outsole designs can be used without departing from the spirit andscope of this invention.

Spikeless Outsoles

The spikeless outsole structure (62) can contain any number of tractionmembers (70), and the traction members can be arranged in a wide varietyof patterns. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, the spikeless outsole(62) does not contain any spikes; rather, there are only tractionmembers (70). In a similar manner to midsole structure (14) shown inabove-discussed FIGS. 9-12, the top surface of the outsole (62) maycontain six protruding segments (40) for snapping into six complementarypockets (44) in the bottom surface of the midsole (14). An adhesive alsois applied to the bottom surface (35) of the midsole (14) and/or topsurface (33) of the outsole (62) so that the midsole can be tightlyfastened to the outsole. In this manner, the midsole is used to securethe spikeless outsole (62) to form a midsole/spikeless outsole assembly.

The spikeless outsole (62) shown in FIG. 13 is configured for providingtraction on the golf course and off the course. That is, the shoesprovide good stability and traction for the golfer playing the courseincluding on the tees, fairways, and greens. These surfaces be referredto as “on-course” surfaces. Furthermore, can be used off the golfcourse. The shoes can be worn comfortably in the clubhouse, office, orother ordinary places. These surfaces can be referred to as “off-course”surfaces. The shoes can be worn while engaging in many differentactivities on many different surfaces such as tennis, squash,racquetball, street hockey, softball, soccer, football, rugby, andsailing. The shoe provides traction and gripping strength on both firmand soft surfaces. These shoes have multi-surface traction (MST) outsolestructures. The traction projections (70) can be of various shapes andsizes. The traction members (70) may be of any suitable shape including,but not limited to, rectangular, triangular, square, spherical, star,diamond, pyramid, arrow, rod, or conical-shapes. Also, the height andarea of the traction members (70) may be the same or different. Thetraction members (70) are designed to engage the ground surface andprovide an increased area of contact with the ground.

As discussed above, the above-described spiked and spikeless outsolestructures (60, 62) shown in FIGS. 1-15A represents only some examplesof outsoles that can be used in the shoe constructions of this inventionand other spiked and spikeless outsoles can be used without departingfrom the spirit and scope of this invention. For example, other suitableoutsoles include the constructions described in Bidal, U.S. PatentApplications Publications 2020/0077734-A1 and US 2020/0146389-A1 andUS-2020-0146389-A1; Bento, U.S. Patent Applications Publication2020/0046072-A1; and Bacon, U.S. Pat. Nos. 9,999,275 and 10,595,585, thedisclosures of which are incorporated by reference.

In one particularly preferred embodiment, the outsole has a geometricconfiguration such that the bottom surface of the outsole comprises afirst set of spiral pathways (A), each spiral pathway having a point oforigin with a plurality of spiral segments radiating from that point,and wherein each segment has a different degree of curvature andcontains sub-segments; and a second set of spiral pathways (B), eachspiral pathway having a point of origin with a plurality of spiralsegments radiating from that point, and wherein each segment has adifferent degree of curvature and contains sub-segments. The first setof spiral pathways (A) is normal and the second set of spiral pathways(B) is an inverse of the first set of spiral pathways, so that when thespiral pathways are superposed over each other, the sub-segments ofspiral segments from set (A) and the sub-segments of spiral segmentsfrom set (B) form four-sided tile pieces on the surface of the outsole.As described above, the tile pieces contain traction members, wherein aplurality of tile pieces comprise a first protruding traction member, anopposing second protruding traction member, and a non-protruding segmentdisposed between the first and second traction members, and wherein thetile piece, first and second protruding traction members, andnon-protruding segment comprise the same material and form a unitarypiece. Preferably, the unitary piece is made of a rubber material.

When numerical lower limits and numerical upper limits are set forthherein, it is contemplated that any combination of these values may beused. Other than in the operating examples, or unless otherwiseexpressly specified, all of the numerical ranges, amounts, values andpercentages such as those for amounts of materials and others in thespecification may be read as if prefaced by the word “about” even thoughthe term “about” may not expressly appear with the value, amount orrange. Accordingly, unless indicated to the contrary, the numericalparameters set forth in the specification and attached claims areapproximations that may vary depending upon the desired propertiessought to be obtained by the present invention.

It also should be understood the terms, “top”, “bottom”, “upper”,“lower”, “downward”, “upward”, “right”, “left”, “lateral”, “medial”,“anterior”, “posterior”, and the like are arbitrary terms used to referto one position of an element based on one perspective and should not beconstrued as limiting the scope of the invention.

It is understood that the shoe materials, designs, and structuresdescribed and illustrated herein represent only some embodiments of theinvention. It is appreciated by those skilled in the art that variouschanges and additions can be made to materials, designs, and structureswithout departing from the spirit and scope of this invention. It isintended that all such embodiments be covered by the appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A golf shoe comprising: an upper; a midsole having an uppersurface and a bottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessedpockets for interlocking with complementary projecting segments locatedon the upper surface of the outsole; and an outsole having an uppersurface and a bottom surface, the upper surface comprising projectingsegments for interlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottomsurface of the midsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed inthe recessed pockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole, theupper, midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, andrear-foot regions and lateral and medial sides.
 2. The golf shoe ofclaim 1, wherein the projecting segments are disc-shaped and have athickness in the range of about 1.5 to about 4.0 mm.
 3. The golf shoe ofclaim 2, wherein the projecting segments have a diameter in the range ofabout 18.0 to about 23.0 mm.
 4. The golf shoe of claim 1, wherein thereare at least three projecting segments on the upper surface of theoutsole and at least three recessed pockets on the bottom surface of themidsole.
 5. The golf shoe of claim 4, wherein there are six projectingsegments on the upper surface of the outsole and six recessed pockets onthe bottom surface of the midsole.
 6. The golf shoe of claim 5, whereinthere are four projecting segments in the forefoot region and twoprojecting segments in the rear-foot region of the outsole and fourrecessed pockets in the forefoot region and two recessed pockets in therear-foot region of the midsole.
 7. The golf shoe of claim 4, whereinthere are nine projecting segments on the upper surface of the outsoleand nine recessed pockets on the bottom surface of the midsole.
 8. Thegolf shoe of claim 7, wherein there are five projecting segments in theforefoot region and four projecting segments in the rear-foot region ofthe outsole and five recessed pockets in the forefoot region and fourrecessed pockets in the rear-foot region of the midsole.
 9. A golf shoecomprising: an upper; a midsole having an upper surface and a bottomsurface, the bottom surface comprising recessed pockets for interlockingwith complementary projecting segments located on the upper surface ofthe outsole; and an outsole having an upper surface and a bottomsurface, the upper surface comprising projecting segments forinterlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of themidsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed in the recessedpockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole. the upper,midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-footregions and lateral and medial sides; and wherein the bottom surface ofthe outsole comprises at least two spike receptacles.
 10. The golf shoeof claim 9, wherein the bottom surface of the outsole comprises at leastsix spike receptacles.
 11. The golf shoe of claim 9, wherein the bottomsurface of the outsole comprises at least nine spike receptacles.
 12. Agolf shoe comprising: an upper; a midsole having an upper surface and abottom surface, the bottom surface comprising recessed pockets forinterlocking with complementary projecting segments located on the uppersurface of the outsole; and an outsole having an upper surface and abottom surface, the upper surface comprising projecting segments forinterlocking with the recessed pockets on the bottom surface of themidsole, wherein the projecting segments are disposed in the recessedpockets so that the midsole is secured to the outsole, the upper,midsole, and outsole each having forefoot, mid-foot, and rear-footregions and lateral and medial sides; and wherein the bottom surface ofthe outsole comprises a plurality of protruding traction members. 13.The golf shoe of claim 12, wherein the bottom surface of the outsolecomprises a first set of spiral pathways (A), each spiral pathway havinga point of origin with a plurality of spiral segments radiating fromthat point, and wherein each segment has a different degree of curvatureand contains sub-segments; a second set of spiral pathways (B), eachspiral pathway having a point of origin with a plurality of spiralsegments radiating from that point, and wherein each segment has adifferent degree of curvature and contains sub-segments; and the firstset of spiral pathways (A) being normal and the second set of spiralpathways (B) being an inverse of the first set of spiral pathways, sothat when the spiral pathways are superposed over each other, thesub-segments of spiral segments from set (A) and the sub-segments ofspiral segments from set (B) form four-sided tile pieces on the surfaceof the outsole, the tile pieces containing traction members, wherein aplurality of the tile pieces comprise a first protruding tractionmember, an opposing second protruding traction member, and anon-protruding segment disposed between the first and second tractionmembers, and wherein the tile piece, first and second protrudingtraction members, and non-protruding segment comprise the same materialand form a unitary piece.
 14. The golf shoe of claim 13, wherein thetile piece, first and second traction members and non-protruding segmentcomprise a rubber material.
 15. The golf shoe of claim 13, wherein thetile piece, first and second traction members comprise a thermoplasticpolyurethane composition.